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55
CIVIL DEFENCE (Ambulance Section)
The total number of volunteers on the register at 31st
December, 1959 was 285. Of this number 117 attended for training
regularly and a further 45 occasionally.
Letters have been sent to the non-attenders and many have
been placed on the reserve list at their own request in conjunction
with a Home Office ruling. Only three volunteers have
resigned and four have moved from the area.
A First Aid Course was again organised with Doctors and the
St. John's Instructors and of the 86 volunteers who entered
there was only one failure.
The Forward Medical Aid Unit organised by the South West
Regional Hospital Board held a large scale exercise at Ashburton
Secondary School on Sunday, 1st November. Croydon Civil Defence
Ambulance and Casualty Collecting Section were invited to
participate and between 40 and 50 volunteers took part, acting
as Deputy Directors, Controllers and patients.
I am sure that valuable information was gathered by volunteers
who attended this exercise.
An exercise was also held at the Rescue Range at Eastbourne
and considerable experience was gained regarding Convoy Driving
and Casualty Collecting.
The Regional and National Competitions were again held
during the year and Croydon were runners up to Middlesex.
The new programme of training includes talks by Instructors
from other Sections and a First Aid Course for all Section
Instructors, the latter being held at Civil Defence Headquarters,
Wellesley Road, Croydon.
In conclusion, may I express my sincere thanks to the
Members of the Ambulance Sub-Committee, the Medical Officer of
Health and the Officers and Men of the Service, for their help
and encouragement which has been of great assistance to me in
the administration of the duties of Chief Ambulance Officer.
A.L. HILL,
Chief Ambulance Officer.